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FIGURE 2 in On a collection of freshwater and estuarine crabs (Crustacea: Brachyura) from Mindanao Island, the Philippines
FIGURE 2. Colour photos of recently preserved crabs (dorsal habitus). A, Baptozius vinosus (H. Milne Edwards, 1834), male, 67.4 by 46.7 mm (ZRC), Sibutad, Zamboanga del Norte; B, Amarinus wolterecki (Balss, 1934), male, 13.6 by 14.1 mm (ZRC), Mainit, Surigao del Norte; C, Cardisoma carnifex (Herbst, 1796), male, 67.0 by 56.0 mm (ZRC), Manukan, Zamboanga del Norte; D, Tuerkayana hirtipes (Dana, 1851), female, 57.0 by 53.0 (ZRC), Lianga, Surigao del Sur; E, Bresedium brevipes (De Man, 1889), male, 20.8 by 18.2 mm (ZRC), Maigo, Lanao del Norte; F, Labuanium trapezoideum (H. Milne Edwards, 1837), female, 38.3 by 42.0 mm (ZRC), Oroquieta, Misamis Occidental. Scale bars: 10 mm.
FIGURE 1 in On a collection of freshwater and estuarine crabs (Crustacea: Brachyura) from Mindanao Island, the Philippines
FIGURE 1. Map of Mindanao showing the 22 sampling localities (red circles); inset, map of the Philippines depicting enlarged area in red rectangle. Zamboanga del Norte Province: (1) Salug; (2) Sindangan; (3) Jose Dalman; (4) Manukan; (5) Roxas; (6) Dapitan; (7) Sibutad. Misamis Occidental Province: (8) Oroquieta. Lanao del Norte Province: (9) Maigo; (10) Iligan. Misamis Oriental Province: (11) Naawan; (12) Tagoloan. Camiguin Island: (13) Mambajao. Surigao del Norte Province: (14) Mainit. Dinagat Island: (15) Basilisa. Surigao del Sur Province: (16) Lianga. Davao Oriental Province: (17) Cateel; (18) San Isidro. Davao del Norte Province: (19) Samal Island. Davao Occidental Province: (20) Malita; (21) Don Marcelino. Saranggani Province: (22) Kiamba.
FIGURE 4 in On a collection of freshwater and estuarine crabs (Crustacea: Brachyura) from Mindanao Island, the Philippines
FIGURE 4. Colour photos of recently preserved crabs (dorsal habitus). A, Parasesarma sanguimanus Li, Shih & Ng, 2019, male, 20.2 by 16.8 mm (ZRC), Kiamba, Saranggani; B, Parasesarma ungulatum (H. Milne Edwards, 1853), male, 18.6 by 16 0 mm (ZRC), Kiamba, Saranggani; C, Sesarmops imperator Ng, Li & Shih, 2020, male, 35.6 by 33.7 mm (ZRC), Mambajao, Camiguin Island; D, Sesarmops mora Li, Shih & Ng, 2020, male, 25.8 by 23.9 mm (ZRC), Maigo, Lanao del Norte; E, Tiomanium indicum (H. Milne Edwards, 1837), male, 42.5 by 36.7 mm (ZRC), Sindangan, Zamboanga del Norte; F, Pseudograpsus crassus A. Milne-Edwards, 1868, male, 34.5 by 30.0 mm (ZRC), Iligan, Lanao del Norte. Scale bars: 10 mm.
FIGURE 5 in On a collection of freshwater and estuarine crabs (Crustacea: Brachyura) from Mindanao Island, the Philippines
FIGURE 5. Colour photos of recently preserved crabs (dorsal habitus). A, Ptychognathus altimanus (Rathbun, 1914), male 21.1 by 19.9 mm (ZRC), Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental; B, Ptychognathus pusillus Heller, 1865, male, 13.1 by 10.7 mm (ZRC), Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental; C, Ptychognathus riedellii (A. Milne-Edwards, 1868), male, 28.9 by 25.0 mm (ZRC), Oroquieta, Misamis Occidental; D, Pyxidognathus granulosus A. Milne-Edwards, 1879, female, 15.4 by 17.3 mm (ZRC), Maigo, Lanao del Norte; E, Utica gracilipes Adams & White, 1848, male, 24.2 by 22.8 mm (ZRC), Iligan, Lanao del Norte; F, Varuna litterata (Fabricius, 1798), male, 42.1 by 37.5 mm (ZRC), Dapitan, Zamboanga del Norte.G, Austruca perplexa (H. Milne Edwards, 1852), male, 13.9 by 10.6 mm (ZRC), Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental; H, Ocypode ceratophthalmus (Pallas, 1772), male, 30.8 by 27.8 mm (ZRC), Manukan, Zamboanga del Norte. Scale bars: 10 mm.
Data from: Ecological effects on metabolic scaling amphipod responses to fish predators in freshwater springs
Metabolic rate is commonly thought to scale with body mass to the 3/4-power as a result of universal body-design constraints. However, recent comparative work has shown that the metabolic scaling slope may vary significantly among species and higher taxa, apparently in response to different lifestyles and ecological conditions, though the precise mechanisms involved are not well understood. To better understand these under-appreciated ecological effects and their causes, it is important to control for extraneous phylogenetic and environmental influences. We demonstrate how this may be done by comparing the ontogenetic scaling of resting metabolic rate among populations of the same species (the amphipod Gammarus minus) in mid-Appalachian freshwater springs with similar, relatively constant environmental conditions, except for the varying presence of the predatory fish Cottus cognatus. We found that populations of G. minus exhibit significantly lower metabolic scaling slopes (0.54 to 0.62) in three freshwater springs with C. cognatus than in two springs without these fish (0.76 to 0.77). We tested multiple hypothetical causes for these population differences. Our results best supported the hypothesis that metabolic scaling was influenced by the effects of size-selective predation on the ontogeny of growth, a metabolically expensive process. The body-size scaling of growth is significantly less steep in the populations inhabiting springs with versus without fish, thus paralleling the interpopulation differences in metabolic scaling. Prematurational growth of G. minus is as high or higher in the fish springs, whereas postmaturational growth is significantly lower, often approaching zero. Similarly the amphipods in the fish springs tend to have higher metabolic rates at small sizes, but lower metabolic rates at large sizes, compared to those in the fishless springs. Our results do not support other hypothetical causes of the interpopulation variation in metabolic scaling, including differential scaling of cell size or low-metabolism body components (fat and mineralized exoskeleton), or possible effects of other environmental factors associated with the presence of fish. However, fish-induced population differences in adult behavioral activity may influence metabolic scaling in G. minus, a possibility under current study. We conclude that ecological factors may significantly influence metabolic scaling, contrary to common belief.
Data from: Terrestrial-focused protected areas are effective for conservation of freshwater fish diversity in Lake Tanganyika
Freshwater protected areas are rarely designed specifically for this purpose and consequently their conservation benefit cannot be guaranteed. Using Lake Tanganyika as a test case we investigated the benefits of terrestrial-focussed protected areas on the alpha and beta taxonomic and functional diversity of the diverse endemic rocky-shore cichlid fishes. Lake Tanganyika has limited protected shorelines and continued human population growth in its catchment, which has potential for negative impacts on habitat quality and key biological processes. We conducted 554 underwater surveys across a gradient of human disturbance including two protected areas, along 180 km of Tanzanian coastline, sampling 70 cichlid species representing a diverse range of life-histories and trophic groups. Alpha diversity was up to 50% lower outside of protected areas, and herbivores appeared most affected. Turnover dominated within-locality variation in beta diversity, but the nestedness component was positively related to human disturbance indicating an increase in generalist species outside of protected areas. Within protected areas the decline in zeta diversity (the expected number of shared species across multiple surveys) was best described by power law functions, which occur when local abundance is predicted by regional abundance; but declined exponentially in unprotected waters indicating a dominance of stochastic assembly. Despite not being designed for the purpose, the protected areas are clearly benefitting cichlid taxonomic and functional diversity within Lake Tanganyika, probably through local reduction in sediment deposition and/or pollution, but as cichlids can be poor dispersers protected area coverage should be expanded to benefit isolated communities.
Data from: Fatty acid profiles of five farmed Brazilian freshwater fish species from different families
The proximate composition and fatty acid (FA) profiles of five Brazilian freshwater fish species, namely Brycon cephalus (BC), Cichla ocellaris (CO), Prochilodus lineatus (PL), Leporinus friderici (LF) and Pseudoplatystoma corruscans (PCO), were investigated. CO and LF exhibited the highest (p < 0.05) moisture content, as well as one of the lowest (p < 0.05) lipid values, whereas BC presented the lowest (p < 0.05) moisture and, alongside PL, the highest (p < 0.05) lipid content. The predominant FAs in the evaluated fish species were palmitic, oleic, linoleic and docosahexaenoic acids. BC and CO presented high n-3 PUFA content, especially DHA, and demonstrated superior nutritional quality indices compared to the other evaluated fish species. Furthermore, a significant relationship was observed among these species, suggesting they possess similar nutritional lipid values. Thus, BC and CO were proven to be an excellent matrix with relevant lipid quality, desirable for human health.
Data from: When is an herbivore not an herbivore? Detritivory facilitates herbivory in a freshwater system
1. Herbivory is thought to be an inefficient diet, but it independently evolved from carnivorous ancestors in many metazoan groups, suggesting that plant-eating is adaptive in some circumstances. In this study, we tested two hypotheses to explain the adaptive evolution of herbivory: 1) the Heterotroph Facilitation hypothesis (herbivory is adaptive because herbivores supplement their diets with heterotrophic microbes); and 2) the Lipid Allocation hypothesis (herbivory is adaptive because algae, which have high lipid concentrations, are nutritionally similar to carnivory). 2. We tested these hypotheses using enclosure cages placed in the Everglades and stocked with Sailfin Mollies (Poecilia latipinna), a native herbivore. Using shading and phosphorus addition (P), we manipulated the heterotrophic microbe and lipid composition of colonizing epiphyton and examined the effects of varying food quality on Sailfin Molly life history. 3. Epiphyton grown in 'shade only' conditions had a 55% increase in bacterial fatty acids and 34% lower ratios of saturated + monounsaturated to polyunsaturated fatty acids relative to the other treatments. Biovolume of heterotrophic microbes varied throughout the experiment, with a 697% increase at 3 weeks and 98% decrease at 6 weeks compared to the other treatments. Gut contents revealed that fish fed selectively on epiphyton to compensate for apparent deficiencies in the available food. 4. Fish raised in 'shade only' cages experienced the highest survival, which was best explained by autotrophic abundance and algal- and bacterial-derived fatty acids at 3 weeks (2-6x more likely than alternative models with ∆AICc > 2.00), and by percentage of bacterial fatty acids in the diet at 6 weeks (3-8x more likely than alternative models with ∆AICc > 2.00). There were no differences in fish growth among treatments. 5. Autotrophic lipids play a role in early fish life history, but we did not find these to be the best...
Data from: Description of a new species of Hedruris Nitzsch, 1821 (Nematoda, Hedruridae) from freshwater turtles in Argentina, with information on its life cycle and a review of the genus's host and geographic distribution
Hedruris dratini n. sp. (Nematoda, Hedruridae) is described from freshwater turtles in Argentina and information about its life cycle provided. The new species differs from the remaining species of the genus by possessing an excretory pore, and the nerve ring and deirids being positioned at equal distance from the anterior end. Additionally, H. dratini n. sp. has mammilated eggs and males possess nine pairs of caudal papillae. The first life cycle within the genus including an amphipod as intermediate host and a reptile as a definitive host is presented. Furthermore, the host and geographic distribution of species of the genus Hedruris Nitzsch, 1821 are analyzed. Although the genus has a cosmopolitan distribution and parasitizes a great diversity of hosts, the majority of its species follow a Gondwanian distribution and its preferred hosts are amphibians.
Current climate overrides historical effects on species richness and range size of freshwater plants in Europe and North America
<p>1. The latitudinal diversity gradient (LDG) hypothesis suggests that species richness should be highest at low latitudes, whereas Rapoport's rule states that largest ranges ought to be found for species at high latitudes. However, there is no consensus over these patterns and their underlying drivers in the freshwater realm.</p> <p>2. We investigated species richness and mean range size of freshwater plants in 50 km × 50 km grid cells across Europe (40°N to 71°N) and North America (25°N to 78°N), supplemented with data based on 1° latitudinal bands for mean range size. We were especially interested to find out whether there are similarities and differences in these ecogeographical patterns and their underlying drivers between the continents due to their contrasting historical characteristics, spatial extent and topography. </p> <p>3. First, we used partial regression to reveal whether species richness and mean range size of freshwater plants have a linear or quadratic relationship with latitude. Second, we employed variation partitioning based on partial regression to model relationships between plant species richness and mean range size and four explanatory variable groups (i.e., environmental features, current climate, historical climate and geographical location). Third, we utilized boosted regression tree analysis to further investigate species richness and mean range size of freshwater plants in relation to a set of explanatory variables. </p> <p>4. Our results revealed that species richness showed relatively similar patterns in relation to latitude between the continents. Similarly, mean range size trends were alike in North America whether we used 50 km x 50 km grid cell data or 1° latitudinal bands. Instead, different patterns in mean range size emerged between the used data sets in Europe. For both of species richness and mean range size, current climate (with different individual predictor variables) was the main driver in both the continents, but historical effects had a small influence on the response variables.</p> <p>5. <i>Synthesis</i>. Our findings indicated that major ecogeographical rules can strongly vary for the same taxonomic group across broad scales between continents. It is also premature to rely solely on well-known terrestrial taxonomic groups when drawing generalizations about ecogeographical rules.</p>
Data from: Phylogeographic and population genetic analyses reveal Pleistocene isolation followed by high gene flow in a wide- ranging, but endangered, freshwater mussel
Freshwater organisms of North America have had their contemporary genetic structure shaped by vicariant events, especially Pleistocene glaciations. Life history traits promoting dispersal and gene flow continue to shape population genetic structure. Cumberlandia monodonta, a widespread but imperiled (IUCN listed as endangered) freshwater mussel, was examined to determine genetic diversity and population genetic structure range-wide. MtDNA sequences and microsatellite loci were used to measure genetic diversity and simulate demographic events during the Pleistocene using approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) to test explicit hypotheses explaining the evolutionary history of current populations. A phylogeny and molecular clock suggested past isolation created two mtDNA lineages during the Pleistocene that are now widespread. Two distinct groups were also detected with microsatellites. ABC simulations indicated the presence of two glacial refugia and post-glacial admixture of them followed by simultaneous dispersal throughout the current range of the species. The Ouachita population is distinct from others and has the lowest genetic diversity, indicating that this is a peripheral population of the species. Gene flow within this species has maintained high levels of genetic diversity in northern populations, however, all population have experienced fragmentation. Extirpation from the center of its range likely has isolated remaining populations due to the geographic distances among them.
Data from: Toxins or medicines? Phytoplankton diets mediate host and parasite fitness in a freshwater system
Diets must satisfy the everyday metabolic requirements of organisms and can also serve as medicines to combat disease. Currently, the medicinal role of diets is much better understood in terrestrial than in aquatic ecosystems. This is surprising because phytoplankton species synthesize secondary metabolites with known antimicrobial properties. Here, we investigated the medicinal properties of phytoplankton (including toxin-producing cyanobacteria) against parasites of the dominant freshwater herbivore, Daphnia. We fed Daphnia dentifera on green algae and toxic cyanobacteria diets known to vary in their nutritional quality and toxin production, and an additional diet of Microcystis with added pure microcystin-LR. We then exposed Daphnia to fungal and bacterial parasites. Anabaena, Microcystis and Chlorella diets prevented infection of Daphnia by the fungal parasite Metschnikowia, while Nodularia toxins increased offspring production by infected hosts. In contrast to their medicinal effects against Metschnikowia, toxic phytoplankton generally decreased the fitness of Daphnia infected with the bacterial parasite, Pasteuria. We also measured the amount of toxin produced by phytoplankton over time. Concentrations of anatoxin-a produced by Anabaena increased in the presence of Metschnikowia, suggesting parasite-induced toxin production. Our research illustrates that phytoplankton can serve as toxins or medicines for their consumers, depending upon the identity of their parasites.
Data from: Monitoring a Norwegian freshwater crayfish tragedy - eDNA snapshots of invasion, infection and extinction
1.The European Noble crayfish (Astacus astacus) is threatened by crayfish plague caused by the oomycete Aphanomyces astaci, which is spread by the invasive North American crayfish (e.g. signal crayfish, Pacifastacus leniusculus). Surveillance of crayfish plague status in Norway has traditionally relied on the monitoring survival of cage‐held noble crayfish, a method of ethical concern. Additionally, trapping is used in crayfish population surveillance. Here we test whether environmental DNA (eDNA) monitoring could provide a suitable alternative to the cage‐method, and a supplement to trapping. 2.We took advantage of an emerging crayfish plague outbreak in a Norwegian watercourse following illegal introduction of disease‐carrying signal crayfish, and initiated simultaneous eDNA‐monitoring and cage‐based surveillance, supplemented with trapping. A total of 304 water samples were filtered from several sampling stations over a four year period. eDNA data (species‐specific qPCR) for the presence of A. astaci, noble and signal crayfish within the water samples were compared to cage mortality and trapping. 3.This is the first study comparing eDNA‐monitoring and cage‐surveillance during a natural crayfish plague outbreak. We show that eDNA‐monitoring corresponds well with the biological status measured in terms of crayfish mortality and trapping results. eDNA analysis also reveals the presence of A. astaci in the water up to 2.5 weeks in advance of the cage‐method. eDNA estimates of A. astaci concentration and noble crayfish numbers increased markedly during mortality, and vanished quickly thereafter. eDNA provides a snapshot of the presence, absence or disappearance of crayfish regardless of season, and constitutes a valuable supplement to the trapping‐method that relies on season and legislation. 4.Synthesis and applications. Simultaneous eDNA‐monitoring of Aphanomyces astaci (crayfish plague) and relevant native and invasive freshwater crayfish species is well‐suited for early‐warning of invasion or infection, risk assessments, habitat evaluation and surveillance regarding pathogen and invasive/native crayfish status. This non‐invasive, animal‐welfare friendly method excludes the need for cage‐held susceptible crayfish in disease‐monitoring. Further, eDNA‐monitoring is less likely to spread A. astaci than traditional methods. This study resulted in the implementation of eDNA‐monitoring for Norwegian crayfish plague and crayfish surveillance programmes, and we believe other countries could improve management strategies for freshwater crayfish using a similar approach.
Data from: "Characterization of two Iberian freshwater fish transcriptomes, Squalius carolitertii and Squalius torgalensis, living in distinct environmental conditions" in Genomic Resources Notes Accepted 1 April 2015 to 31 May 2015
The advance of NGS technologies opened exciting research avenues, as for example expanding the study of the mechanisms underlying adaptation from model organisms to natural systems. We used NGS technologies to sequence 12 RNA-seq libraries, and provide the first transcriptomes of two endemic Iberian Cyprinids. The species Squalius carolitertii and S. torgalensis inhabit different regions of Portugal with distinct climate types, Atlantic in the North and Mediterranean in the South, respectively. While northern regions present mild temperatures, in southern regions fish are often under harsh temperatures and droughts. Herein, we sequenced the transcriptome from three tissues (skeletal muscle, liver and fins) in an Illumina HiSeq2000 of fish exposed to different temperatures: 18ºC (control) and 30ºC (test). Around 200 million raw reads were generated for each species, with similar number of reads per library (approximately 30 million), rendering de novo assemblies with a total of 145975 and 137303 contigs, for S. carolitertii and S. torgalensis, respectively. Gene ontology showed that around 60% of the annotated genes belonged to four biological processes and approximately 75% to two molecular functions. Besides, this study provides, for the first time, the transcriptome characterization of two endemic fish from Iberian freshwater basins, S. carolitertii and S. torgalensis, and constitutes a valuable resource for understanding environmental adaptations of Iberian Cyprinids.
Data from: Isotopic turnover rates and diet-tissue discrimination depend on feeding habits of freshwater snails
Estimates of animal diets and trophic structure using stable isotope analysis are strongly affected by diet-tissue discrimination and tissue turnover rates, yet these factors are often unknown for consumers because they must be measured using controlled-feeding studies. Furthermore, these parameters may be influenced by diet quality, growth, and other factors. We measured the effect of dietary protein content on diet-tissue discrimination and tissue turnover in three freshwater snail species. We fed lettuce to individually housed snails (n = 450 per species) for ten weeks, then half were switched to a high-protein diet. Isotopic values of muscle and gonad tissue were assessed at 48 and 80 days post-diet change. Snail discrimination factors varied by diet (low-protein > high-protein) and usually differed among species for both N and C, although species had similar carbon discrimination when fed the low-protein diet. Carbon turnover rates were similar among species for a given tissue type, but nitrogen turnover varied more among species. In addition, diet affected growth of species differently; some species grew larger on high-protein (H. trivolvis) while others grew larger on low-protein diet (Lymnaea spp.). These differences among species in growth influenced turnover rates, which were faster in the species with the highest growth rate following the diet switch from low to high-protein. Thus, growth is one of the main processes that affects tissue turnover, but growth and feeding preference did not affect diet-tissue discrimination, which was greater on low-protein than high-protein diets for all species regardless of growth performance. These results suggest that diet might influence two key parameters of stable isotope analysis differently.
Data from: Global test of Eltonian niche conservatism of nonnative freshwater fish species between their native and introduced ranges
Despite growing evidence that biotic interactions limit the distribution of species and their potential redistribution under climate change, the recent surge of interest in niche conservatism has predominantly focused on the Grinellian (abiotic) niche, whereas few studies have attempted to quantify potential lability in the Eltonian (biotic or trophic) niche. Here, we test for conservatism in the Eltonian niche of 32 freshwater fish species between their introduced and native ranges from 435 populations across the globe. We used stable isotope data to quantify niche shifts along the horizontal (δ13C: indicating the origin of the resources consumed) and vertical (δ15N: describing the trophic position) dimensions of the isotopic niche, as well as shifts in overall isotopic niche breadth. Using an assemblage centroid standardized isotope vector analysis and controlling for phylogenetic relatedness among species, we demonstrated that introduced freshwater fishes exhibited flexibility in both resource use and trophic position that was beyond levels of natural variability observed in their native ranges. By contrast, niche breadth showed variability only within the limits recorded in native populations and varied independently from shifts in mean isotopic niche positions. Across all species and introduction histories, we found a consistent shift towards more balanced acquisition of resources with mixed origins and at intermediate trophic positions, suggesting a general mechanism by which fish species successfully establish into recipient communities. The mechanisms that promote or inhibit species from shifting their Eltonian niche remains unknown, but trophic flexibility is likely to contribute to both the success and the ecological impacts of invasive species and range shifts of native species under future global change.
Data from: Relationships between spatial metrics and plant diversity in constructed freshwater wetlands
The diversity of plant species and their distribution in space are both thought to have important effects on the function of wetland ecosystems. However, knowledge of the relationships between plant species and spatial diversity remains incomplete. In this study, we investigated relationships between spatial pattern and plant species diversity over a five year period following the initial restoration of experimental wetland ecosystems. In 2003, six identical and hydrologically-isolated 0.18 ha wetland "cells" were constructed in former farmland in northeast Ohio. The systems were subjected to planting treatments that resulted in different levels of vascular plant species diversity among cells. Plant species diversity was assessed through annual inventories. Plant spatial pattern was assessed by digitizing low-altitude aerial photographs taken at the same time as the inventories. Diversity metrics derived from the inventories were significantly related to certain spatial metrics derived from the photographs, including cover type diversity and contagion. We found that wetlands with high cover type diversity harbor higher plant species diversity than wetlands with fewer types of patches. We also found significant relationships between plant species diversity and spatial patterning of patch types, but the direction of the effect differed depending on the diversity metric used. Links between diversity and spatial pattern observed in this study suggest that high-resolution aerial imagery may provide wetland scientists with a useful tool for assessing plant diversity.
Data from: Ancestral plasticity and allometry in threespine stickleback reveal phenotypes associated with derived, freshwater ecotypes
For over a century, evolutionary biologists have debated whether and how phenotypic plasticity impacts the processes of adaptation and diversification. The empirical tests required to resolve these issues have proven elusive, mainly because it requires documentation of ancestral reaction norms, a difficult prospect where many ancestors are either extinct or have evolved. The threespine stickleback radiation is not limited in this regard, making it an ideal system in which to address general questions regarding the role of plasticity in adaptive evolution. As retreating ice sheets have exposed new habitats, oceanic stickleback founded innumerable freshwater populations, many of which have evolved parallel adaptations to their new environments. Because the founding oceanic population is extant, we can directly evaluate whether specific patterns of ancestral phenotypic expression in the context of novel environments (plasticity), or over ontogeny, predisposed the repeated evolution of "benthic" and "limnetic" ecotypes in shallow and deep lakes, respectively. Consistent with this hypothesis, we found that oceanic stickleback raised in a complex habitat and fed a macroinvertebrate diet expressed traits resembling derived, benthic fish. Alternatively, when reared in a simple environment on a diet of zooplankton, oceanic stickleback developed phenotypes resembling derived, limnetic fish. As fish in both treatments grew, their body depths increased allometrically, as did the size of their mouths, while their eyes became relatively smaller. Allometric trajectories were subtly but significantly impacted by rearing environment. Thus, both environmental and allometric influences on development, along with their interactive effects, produced variation in phenotypes consistent with derived benthic and limnetic fish, which may have predisposed the repeated genetic accommodation of this specific suite of traits. We also found significant shape differences between marine and anadromous stickleback, which has implications for evaluating the ancestral state of stickleback traits.
Data from: Incorporating evolutionary insights to improve ecotoxicology for freshwater species
Ecotoxicological studies have provided extensive insights into the lethal and sublethal effects of environmental contaminants. These insights are critical for environmental regulatory frameworks, which rely on knowledge of toxicity for developing policies to manage contaminants. While varied approaches have been applied to ecotoxicological questions, perspectives related to the evolutionary history of focal species or populations have received little consideration. Here, we evaluate chloride toxicity from the perspectives of both macroevolution and contemporary evolution. First, by mapping chloride toxicity values derived from the literature onto a phylogeny of macroinvertebrates, fish, and amphibians, we tested whether macroevolutionary relationships across species and taxa are predictive of chloride sensitivity. Next, we conducted chloride exposure tests for two amphibian species to assess whether potential contemporary evolutionary change associated with environmental chloride contamination influences chloride sensitivity across local populations. We show that explicitly evaluating both macro- and contemporary evolution can provide important and even qualitatively different insights from those obtained via traditional ecotoxicological studies. While macroevolutionary perspectives can help forecast toxicological endpoints for species with untested sensitivities, contemporary evolutionary perspectives demonstrate the need to consider the environmental context of exposed populations when measuring toxicity. Accounting for divergence among populations of interest can provide more accurate and relevant information related to the sensitivity of populations that may be evolving in response to selection from contaminant exposure. Our data shows that approaches accounting for and specifically examining variation among natural populations should become standard practice in ecotoxicology.
Data from: Damming, lost connectivity and the historical role of anadromous fish in freshwater ecosystem dynamics
Recent research has demonstrated the important role that high-biomass species play in the transfer of energy and nutrients across habitat boundaries, as well as the ecosystem consequences of their loss. To contrast the historical and current biomass of historically abundant anadromous forage fish, we combined historical records of habitat loss from damming with contemporary freshwater productivity of alewives and diet data of freshwater predator fish. Significant declines in production occurred by 1850 in the northeastern United States, long before any direct abundance data were available, which would have had significant effects on freshwater prey resources for the numerous predators directly affected by the transfer of nutrients across the freshwater–marine nexus. Current freshwater systems operate at approximately 6.7% of historical capacity of anadromous alewife biomass and abundance. This provides an example of habitat-mediated changes in connectivity limiting nutrient flux and energy flow among populations and species that alter ecosystem function at multiple scales.
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Allen Brain Atlas
Allen Brain Atlas is an Allen Institute collection of brain map atlases, datasets, APIs, and analysis tools covering mouse, human, and non-human primate brain resources.
Annotated Behaviour and Observability Dataset (ABODe)
ABODe is a University of Edinburgh DataShare dataset for behavior classification in group-housed mice using home-cage video, identities, bounding boxes, ground-plate positions, and annotator labels.
DANDI Archive for NWB datasets
DANDI is a BRAIN Initiative archive for publishing and sharing neurophysiology data, including electrophysiology, optophysiology, and behavioral data packaged as NWB and related standards.
International Brain Laboratory public data
The International Brain Laboratory public data releases expose standardized mouse decision-making experiments, including Neuropixels recordings, widefield calcium imaging, behavior, and session metadata accessed through the ONE API.
OpenNeuro
OpenNeuro is a free, open platform for sharing neuroimaging datasets, with public search, dataset pages, and download paths for web, S3, DataLad, and the OpenNeuro CLI.